Crossing Swords
by artemis-nz
Summary: Two weeks before she dies, Lia crosses swords with her brother one last time. Non-slash Lia/D'Eon.


**Author Note: If you're reading this and are likewise hooked on the anime Le Chevalier d'Eon, please for the love of god think about writing some fanfiction! Until a couple of weeks ago I had no idea Le Chevalier d'Eon existed, and I'd guess that it's the same for a lot of anime fans out there - and so the fandom is currently extremely small and I'd love to see some more fanfiction/fanart/websites/whatever out there in order to see the fandom grow, as well as awareness for the anime itself.**

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"I'm sure I don't know how the other women deal with having such big breasts."

"_Lia!_"

D'Eon's sister just shrugged and then laughed, seeing his face redden. "Well, it's true. They make an elegant enough picture at court, but think about the inconvenience!"

"Not every court lady knows the art of fencing", d'Eon reminded her solemnly, and she couldn't help but laugh at him again; he was always so earnest. D'Eon, for his part, stepped back and tried to see Lia from an outsider's perspective. Tall, certainly. Undoubtedly graceful with a sword - better than he himself was, in fact, and only an even match because of his advantage of added strength and height. Small breasts, as Lia herself had so brazenly pointed out. Dressed as she was for sword fighting, her figure was dashing and could almost be seen as boyish, particularly with her hair tied tightly back. She claimed it was a nuisance to have it flying around while she was trying to concentrate.

Yet nobody, even while she might look virtually identical to d'Eon himself, could mistake Lia for a man. Aspirations of a man she might have, but the way she presented herself, the way she spoke and walked and held herself was the way of a woman almost as confident as Her Majesty the Queen. Lia disdained the usual entertainments of the ladies of the court, refusing to trail around in groups and partake in what she openly called pointless gossip. Instead she turned to other pursuits; reading and writing, fencing, horse riding. All those things, in fact, that a Knight might be skilled in, and nothing at all like her courtly counterparts.

Perhaps it was obvious what he was thinking, because Lia carried on: "Those dour ladies at court... I think I would die of boredom! Not that they're all like that, of course", she hurriedly corrected herself, winking at d'Eon, and he knew she was thinking of Anna. "But so many of them... it's like they spend their whole lives waiting for something to happen. But why wait when you could seek it out for yourself? The journey is just as important, if not more so, than the result itself after all. Isn't that so, master?"

"Word for word", said their teacher, the amusement clear in his eyes. He had been watching them both, making sure they did not allow for their swordsmanship to grow sloppy. "Lia, be sure to hold back at least a little. Confidence is necessary; an aggressiveness too early on will likely get you into trouble, however. And d'Eon... you need to be more focused. She may be your sister but if you were so lenient in a match with a real opponent you would find yourself very quickly outmatched."

"Yes, master", they both said at once, and Teillagory found himself blinking, they looked so much alike at that moment. D'Eon was only very slightly taller than his sister, but both stood calm and straight-backed, just as he had instructed them to carry themselves long ago, when the teo of them were still only children. Both also had similar face shapes, fine and narrow. D'Eon's hair was completely straight and Lia's, while as long and the same light colour as her brothers', curled slightly whenever she allowed it to hang free.

In character the two were not dissimilar either. Both siblings were fierce in their loyalty to their country, and this was something their teacher had fostered from an early age. Both also tended to be a little impatient, although this was more pronounced in Lia, who was often forced to deal with the limitations that her gender imposed. Lia also had a tendency to be louder than her brother while d'Eon was quieter, more brooding. D'Eon did not lack confidence, but seemed to prefer to remain in the background while Lia most certainly preferred to make herself heard (although again, Teillagory had made certain that this did not compromise her ability to be subtle when necessary). He was proud of them both, and eager to see what life would bring the two of them - or, more accurately it seemed, what the two of them would bring to life.

Perhaps because the two were both so very alike, Teillagory made sure they did not often fight each other, instead fighting them himself in turns. Old he may have been, but he was still quite capable of outmatching them both; even Lia had not yet bested him in swordplay."Brother and sister should never cross swords", he said once when Lia had asked him about it, and that was all he had cared to say. Still, he allowed them to practice with each other every once in a while - usually, d'Eon thought, just to stop Lia asking about it. For it was clear that Lia enjoyed crossing swords with d'Eon since the two were so evenly matched. Her smile after, even during, a good bout would transform her, and then d'Eon would always be reminded that his sister was in all fairness one of the most sought-after ladies at court. Then the two would collapse, exhausted and sweating, and let their master drill them on how each of their performances may have been improved.

Lia's final sword fight with her brother took place not long after this. Against Teillagory's better judgement, perhaps; Lia had come back from a long journey, once again not telling anyone where she had gone. She had gone on such journeys before, but this time something was different. She returned and was angry - at what, she wouldn't say either, and d'Eon was hurt by her apparent lack of warmth. That she had gone on some mission and was unable to divulge details was one thing, but to be so uncommunicative about her thoughts and feelings was another, especially since the two siblings had always been so close. That d'Eon cared for his sister, and her for him, was undeniable. But this time he felt completely isolated from whatever drove her to her fury, and there was a kind of guilt and helplessness that ate away at d'Eon for not being able to help her through it. Teillagory, knowing that some feelings were best released during physical activity, had been encouraging Lia to hone her skills with the sword even further. It was for this reason that Lia and d'Eon circled each other once more with a sword clutched in their hands.

The exercise was fine at first, and Lia even seemed to be enjoying herself, perhaps finding the very outlet for her feelings that Teillagory had been thinking of. So when something seemed to snap inside Lia without warning so that she suddenly began using her sword with a very real and brutal force, d'Eon was completely unprepared.

Lia lunged at him, eyes blazing with a kind of righteousness that frightened him. Even when he backed away and called her name Lia did not let up and seemed to come at him even more aggressively. She yelled something back at him he didn't catch, but her even her voice scared him for its savagery. Now Teillagory shouted something, a demand at Lia to cease fighting and then a sharp word of warning: d'Eon had not managed to parry a blow at the right angle and the two swords clashed and were forced upwards. There was a hot, stinging sensation on his face that d'Eon registered only when Lia stopped as suddenly as she had begun, dropping her sword and staring at her hands as if she could not quite believe she had wielded her sword with such force only moments ago. Her breathing was erratic, ragged, sounding almost like sobbing, and her eyes met his.

"Oh God, oh God, I'm so sorry! You're bleeding, d'Eon! Your face..."

Lia's sword lay in the dust at her feet, abandoned as she examined his face herself with trembling fingers. He stood still, letting her tend to his cut, just glad for the moment that Lia's eyes were mercifully cleared. There was no fury there now - only a fear and an apology that she had hurt him.

"D'Eon? Are you alright?"

"Just a scratch, master. It's my fault, I wasn't paying attention-"

"Lia de Beaumont."

His sister turned to look at Teillagory, completely contrite. "I'm sorry!" She looked like she wanted to cry.

"Pick up your sword."

Obedient, she did as Teillagory bid her, and her master took the sword from her and very carefully cleaned the blade of the small smear of blood that reddened it before presenting it to her, hilt first.

"You need to think very seriously about this. A man's - or woman's sword - is a symbol of their pride and nobility. And this is _your_ sword, and only you are responsible for your actions. It is a in and an act of shame that you would stain your sword with the blood of your own family." His voice was cold and Lia bowed her head. D'Eon had never seen Teillagory so angry. While Lia's anger was all fire and passion, Teillagory's anger was pure ice. He walked away and left them to their own devices, leaving Lia kneeling in the dust and staying only long enough himself to be sure that d'Eon's injury was as minor as had claimed.

That was the last time Lia spoke to her master, and two weeks later d'Eon's beloved sister was found in a floating coffin. D'Eon shed no tears and tried to be as strong as Lia had been. The cross about his neck seemed to cry out for him in the absence of his own display of grief. It seemed apt, then, to eventually take this cross Lia had given him and seal it onto his sword before writing to his master once more.


End file.
